Thank you to all who Followed/Faved/Reviewed especially Zoulou who has been with Scorpius since the beginning. Anyway CHAPTER 9! Sorry it's a bit short. Also, please review...I'm not entirely sure where this story is going and I would love some feedback.

Something red glinted above him. The sword of Gryffindor! He reached out to touch it...

"OY!" Scorpius' eyes snapped open, and the bemused face of Rose Weasley swam into focus.

"Erm, Scorpius?" She said tentatively. He suddenly realized he had a strand of her hair gripped tightly in his fist.

"Er, sorry." He blushed furiously and released it. Rose smirked and brushed her hair out of her face, turning towards a group of other people Scorpius hadn't noticed before.

"We were worried about you mate, Malcolm really got you." Al walked up next to Rose as he said this. He frowned for a moment, but then broke into a grin. "You should have seen Zambini's face-" he was interrupted by a stern look from Rose.

"Al Scorpius has been injured!"

"So, he could use a bit of cheering up!"

"AL! Have some tact!"

Scorpius listened to them bicker with smile, it was nice having friends. Rose turned to him with her eyebrows raised.

"What are you smiling about Scorp?" Scorpius rolled his eyes.

"You two."

They both tipped their heads to the side and stared at him intently.

"It's just...nice, having friends you know?" he clarified awkwardly, blushing even more deeply. Roses' eyes softened, Al grinned and opened his mouth to say something when a loud brisque voice interrupted them.

"OUT! OUT!"

"Just five more minutes," Al pleaded.

"Absolutely not, you've had fifteen minutes know this boy needs to REST!"

"Hannah-" Al stuck out his lip in an awkward sort of pout.

"That's Madame Abbot to you , now out of my hospital wing!" Scorpius glanced around for the first time since waking up. He was lying on a bed with white linen sheets in what must be the Hospital wing, that meant-

"But just-"

"NO , OUT!" A very tall woman with a round rosy face was shooing Al and Rose very forcefully from his bedside. She was a bit dumpy, with thick blonde plaits that made her look like an overgrown schoolgirl.

The quarrelling group had stumbled out of Scorpius' sight. He attempted to push himself up but his hands felt suddenly very heavy. Suddenly a the flushed face of Madame Abbot materialized above him.

"Oh," she said in a rushed sort of voice, "You're up then." She started to sort through a large leather satchel, and Scorpius craned his neck to see her.

"Can I leave then?" He asked hopefully, still trying to pull himself up. Madame Abbot didn't even turn around.

"Oh no Mr. Malfoy I'm afraid I shall have to keep you overnight. Out cold for three hours." She said the last bit accusingly, Scorpius couldn't help feeling a bit hurt. It's not my fault Zambini was being a bloody idiot.

"Anyway I dare say Professor Longbottom will be pleased you've come round, he was in quite a state." She said this as though she did not approve of "states" in her hospital wing. Scorpius was thoughtful at this, why would professor Longbottom care? Al and Rosie were obvious, but he'd never even spoken to the Herbology teacher. He suddenly wished that he had, and made a note to do so once he got out of the hospital wing.

Madame Abbott's words sank in.

"OVERNIGHT! No I swear I'm alright," he pushed himself up, and suddenly the room began to swim. Two firm hands pushed his shoulders back into the bed.

"I don't think so . You will be released for breakfast tomorrow." He opened his mouth to complain but thought it best not to test the patience of the already flustered nurse. He slumped back into the soft cotton bed crossing his arms and staring wistfully out the window.

Rose and Al brought him dinner from the great hall; "We didn't really know what you wanted so we just brought a bit of everything." Al who had been grinning wickedly had seemingly taken pleasure in loading up the plate with all sorts of odd things which Scorpius refused to touch, Rose brought some turkey which was very good. Madame Abbot shooed them out again muttering something about turning into a "Pomfrey" Which Scorpius didn't understand.

That night Scorpius had a very odd dream. The sorting hat was tugged over his eyes, and was stubbornly insisting that there had been a mistake and he must go to Slytherin because it was were he belonged. He kept trying to tugg it of his head, but it seemed to be stuck. Then all of the sudden it flew off, and Zabini was staring at him, telling him he mustn't be in Gryffindor because he wasn't brave enough. His laughing face contorted into professor Basil's. Suddenly the professors smirk was replaced with a frown.

"MALFOY! Please demonstrate the Avada Kedavra curse," he barked. Scorpius tried to insist that he didn't know it, but Basil didn't seem to hear him. His dark hair started to fade, and the professor became a tall blonde man with angular features and cold gray eyes.

"Scorpius, you've been a very bad boy." Scorpius winced.

"I'm sorry father, please-" The blonde man just laughed.

"Pleading? Not very Gryffindor of you Scorpius, not very Gryffindor at all." He kept laughing, and suddenly the laughter became high and cold...

Scorpius woke with a start, panting heavily. He turned over in his bed, and when he woke the next morning he didn't remember the dream at all.

Madame Abbot didn't seem very eager to let him go the next day, fussing about and insisting on giving him one final check-up, so that by the time he made his way to the great hall, the tables were already crammed full of students.

"OY SCORP!" A familiar voice yelled over the noise. Scorpius turned to see Al and Rose grinning widely and waving their hands. He grinned and shoved his way through the throg of students towards the end of the Gryffindor table, plopping down next to Rose.

"Thanks for saving me a seat," he said with a swift smile, his head still ached a bit.

"Did you ever doubt I would," said Al with a hurt look, "I'm known throughout the school for my tact and thoughtfulness." He pressed his hand to his badge.

"Your hearts on the other side Al," Said Rose critically. Scorpius met her eyes, and they both burst out laughing.

"What?" Al questioned, looking genuinely confused.

"Only you Al," said Scorpius, feeling very cheered.

"WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP SAYING-" But the bespectacled boy was interrupted by the arrival of the morning post.

Scorpius still wasn't used to the great lot of owls streaming into the great hall every morning, and he looked up awed at the strange array of birds, who were circling the tables, searching for their owners and dropping packages on their laps.

Al had never seemed bothered by the owls. When Scorpius had asked him why, Al had given him a how-can-you-be-so-thick look, which had made him blush.

"Albus Severus Potter Scorp, my parents get about a hundred pieces of bloody fan mail a day." The dark haired boy had glared at his pasta. Scorpius didn't think their was anything wrong with having famous parents, but he decided not to press it.

Something was different today however, as a large tawny owl came swooping over Scorpius' head, causing him to fall into his porridge which Al found very funny, and dropped a thick yellow envelope into Roses' lap. Scorpius glanced at her questioningly.

"Oh I wonder if it's from Mum and Dad, I wrote them right after the sorting, but I don't know why they wouldn't use Artemis." Scorpius glanced down at his lap, he still hadn't written his parents about the sorting, he just couldn't figure out how to tell them their only son was a Gryffindor, he was glad when his thoughts were interrupted by an excited squeal from Rose.

"Look it's from Hagrid!" Scorpius leaned over the table scrawled on the thick parchment in letters he could barely make out was a letter.

Dear Rosie,

I know you get friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea around three? I want to hear all about your first week. I would have sent it to Al, but I was afraid he might lose it. You can bring Malfoy if you want. Send us back an answer with artemis.

Hagrid

Scorpius snorted at the mention of his friend. Al looked disgruntled.

"When have I ever lost anything?"

Rose who, seemed to find this very funny snorted into her porridge.

"Only-"

"Don't EVEN say it."